October 2007 Trestleboard

October, 2007
FROM THE EAST
Charles H. Tupper, Master

he Trustees of St. John’s Lodge No. 9 will hold a special meeting before the October Stated to work on the budget that our Senior Warden, Jim Wold, has submitted for their perusal and consideration.

It is at this time of year our members need to be filling out the charity request forms on the website and submitting them for consideration so the charity of their choice will have a chance to be funded in 2008. Remember that we no longer fund charities just because we supported them last year. They now need sponsors and if you don’t make known your choice and it doesn’t get funded who can you blame?

In keeping with the budget theme that is always of great importance at this time of year I have asked our Treasurer, WBro. Ken Lane Jr., to show the Lodge his PowerPoint presentation on how our budget is set up. If you have not worked on the budget for our Lodge this presentation should be of great interest to you. It will enable you to fully understand how our budget comes into being each year and what is considered by the Senior Warden who works with the Treasurer and the Trustees to put this together.

We will also have a presentation from our investment managers at Oppenheimer. They will talk about investment strategy and how best to leverage money in today's market world. This should be of great interest to all who have money put away for the future and are looking for the best return. They will show that the market isn't nearly the gamble that many believe.

This meeting is step-up night and our prospective line, headed by Bro. Jim Wold, will close the Lodge. These brothers have been practicing hard to put on an excellent ceremony and I am sure you don’t want to miss it. We are having step-up night in October because of the change of meeting day to the third Wednesday. This makes it so our installation of officers, held on the second Saturday in December, comes before the December Stated where we used to have the step up night performance.

We are also going to have a wild socks and ties contest at this Stated. In conjunction with this theme we ask that you bring pairs of new socks for the University Street Ministries. They tell us that their inventory of socks will not get them through to the holiday season when they expect donations of more of these items. If each of us brings a package of socks they will have plenty to get them through. Thanks in advance for bringing these.

University Street Ministries is the group that puts together the Teen Feed that we participate in each year with a steak dinner for the homeless youth of the University District and we try to help them whenever we can.

Steve will prepare an excellent meal on the 17^th and we will have a fun time together at this Stated. Don’t miss it and I will see each of you there.

Wear your ugly socks and tie to our October 17 Stated Communication!!

Dues $13

Statements will be issued shortly for our lodge 2008 annual dues. This year they will increase by $1 to $13 and are payable before the end of this year.

Fifty Years in Masonry in 2007: We congratulate Bros. Leon Joyner, William Wisman, Charles Claus, Jr., and John Hennessey for achieving 50 years in our Masonic fraternity. But look at this: Bros. Robert Ozanne, John Alberti, Donald Coleman, Sam Howe, Samuel Boren, and Donald Bartholomew have been a part of our community for sixty years!

CALENDAR

· October 8 (7-9pm): Ritual instruction classes at Greenwood

· October 10 (5pm): Board of Trustees (2008 Budget preparation)

· October 10 (7pm): Queen Anne No. 242 Installation of Officers

· October 17 (6:15pm) 7:30pm: St. John’s 9 (dinner) Stated

· October 20 (7-11pm): District No. 5 Youth Night (Halloween dance) at Alki

· October 24 (7pm): degree?

· October 26: Quarterly meeting of Masonic Service Bureau

· November 5, (7:30pm): Eureka Lodge No. 20 Installation of Officers

· November 14 (5pm): Board of Trustees

· November 15 (7pm): degree

· November 21 (6:15pm) 7:30pm: St. John’s 9 (dinner) Stated Election of Officers, Past Masters Night

· December 8 (10am): ): Installation of Officers (Saturday morning)

· December 8 (1pm): Secrets of the Chair (Saturday afternoon)

OCTOBER STATED MEETING TO FOCUS ON SOCKS (and ties, too)

Worshipful Master Charles Tupper is issuing a call for all brothers to bring a pair or pairs of new socks to the October 17 stated communication to answer an urgent request by University Street Ministries who serve homeless teens in the University District. These are the same young persons whom we have assisted occasionally with our teen feed team over the years. If anyone has some extra pairs of new socks they want to unload, this is the opportunity to do so.

Speaking of socks, as no one seemed to remember that the September meeting was to recognize brothers who came with the ugliest socks and ties, that “honor” will be given out at this month’s stated communication. So, officers and members are encouraged to wear a combination ugly tie and ugly socks. Tuxedos will still be in order for the officers. Grand Lodge ties may qualify, but probably won’t be winners!

Next year’s expected corps of officers will be offered the opportunity to close lodge for our traditional “step-up night.” The following month we will be electing officers and honoring our Past Masters, who will also close lodge.

All brothers are encouraged to bring guests to dinner, especially prospective members. Dinner will be served at 6:15, preceded by an opportunity for fellowship.

HOCKEY NIGHT IN DISTRICT 5

Based on the favorable response received on his inquiry, Deputy of the Grand Master VWBro. Jim Maher has scheduled the first ever Hockey Night in District No. 5. It will be the Seattle Thunderbirds vs. the Vancouver Giants, Saturday, January 5, 2008 at Key Arena. The doors will open at 6pm and the game time is 7:05. We will be sitting in a private seating area at ice level, so these are terrific seats. We will also have an area where we can mingle before, during and after the game. No host beverages will be available. Tickets for this event are $25 per person. Family, friends and prospective members are welcome. Please join us for an evening of fun, fellowship and great hockey!

To reserve your seats, contact VWBro. Maher directly via email at jrmaher1@comcast.net or by phone at 206 818-9015. Seating is limited, so tickets will be on a first-come, first-served basis. Reserve your spot today!!

MASONIC SERVICE BUREAU

The Masonic Service Bureau has been responsibly downsizing to reduce its overhead expenses. It has eliminated all hospital equipment (most of which was damaged in a recent flooding of the Alki Masonic Center). The Bureau continues to call for volunteers to serve on the funeral team.

ENCOURAGING WORDS FROM ACCELERATED READER SCHOOLS

Representatives of John Rogers and Sacajewea Elementary Schools reported on the success of their Accelerated Reader programs at our September communication. Ms Debby McDonald and Principal Marsha Boyd of John Rogers expressed their appreciation for the consistency of our support and hope for future funding. Ms Visala Hohlbein and Ms Deborah Davis of Sacajewea added their appreciation, and introduced students Eli and Rueben who told the assembled members and guests about their experiences with the Accelerated Reader program and how it has improved their motivation to read. The teachers said that special programs are frequently introduced into a system, only to be abandoned in short order. They emphasized their gratitude for our willing to be there for the long run.

We have supported the Accelerated Reader programs since 1998.

Bring a new pair of socks for the homeless teens Oct. 17

ANNUAL GRAND LODGE:

A DAY SHORT AND A DOLLAR LATE?

Brothers of Daylight Lodge No. 232 will be submitting a proposal to move annual Grand Lodge meetings to Friday and Saturday, eliminating the Thursday meeting day. Many think that business can be completed in two days, which would save money for all concerned, especially the working younger brethren who at the present must lose two days of work. Add to this financial burden, the ever increasing cost of travel, hotel rooms, meals and other related expenses. With today’s modern electronic methods of doing business, two days should be more than ample to conduct a Grand Lodge meeting, so say the Daylight brethren.

Added interest……..

VWBro. Ashley Brinkley announces that he will be making another run for Junior Grand Warden at next June’s annual Grand Communication…..WBro. Marvin Pearson, Master of Greenwood Lodge No. 253, thanked the brothers of St. John’s and Worshipful Master Charles Tupper in particular for helping to make his year in the East an enjoyable one….VWBro. Mike Davis invited the brethren to the Queen Anne No. 242 installation of officers on Wednesday, October 10, and their stated communication of Thursday, October 11 to retrieve the District traveling trowel. VWBro. Davis will again be serving in the East of that lodge……Eureka Lodge No. 20 has just elected a new team of officers and will be installing on Monday, November 5.

LOMA HALLOWEEN PARTY

Bro. David Flood encourages the St. John’s brethren to assist with the District 5 LOMA Halloween party for the kids at Alki Masonic Center on Saturday, October 20, 7-11pm. A decorating crew will begin preparations at 3pm that afternoon.

FREEMASONRY 101

District 5 LOMA will be offering “Freemasonry 101” Saturday, November 3, at Green Lake Masonic Center. This will be “Secrets of Freemasonry Revealed,” open to the public and designed to enlighten the profane in the ways of the Craft. WBro. Sam Roberts of Everett, who is skilled in these matters, will lead the discussion.

Coming to Dinner at 6:15? RSVP at 206 623-0261 or email the Secretary at stjohns9@seattlemasons.org.